OXYGEN ENRICHMENT DEVICE FOR VENTILATOR
First Claim
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1. An enrichment device for mixing ambient air with a gas, comprising:
- an outer housing defining a reservoir, the outer housing having first and second end walls and a peripheral wall, the housing having an outlet port for attachment to a cyclic low pressure source, an ambient air inlet, and a second inlet for connection to a supply of pressurized gas;
the reservoir having a plurality of internal walls defining a passageway between the ambient air inlet and the outlet port, the passageway having a plurality of turns and defining a flow path for air and gas through the reservoir; and
the second inlet communicating with the passageway downstream of the ambient air inlet;
whereby air is drawn into the passageway and a mixture of gas and air is drawn out of the reservoir through the outlet port when the low pressure source is on, and pressurized gas fills at least part of the passageway when the low pressure source is off, and variation of the flow rate of gas from the pressurized source into the housing varies the ratio of gas to ambient air in the mixture drawn out of the reservoir through the outlet port.
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Abstract
An enrichment device for mixing ambient air with a gas such as oxygen has a rigid outer housing defining a reservoir. The housing has an outlet port for attachment to a cyclic low pressure source, an ambient air inlet, and a second inlet for connection to a supply of pressurized gas. The reservoir has a plurality of internal walls defining a passageway having a plurality of turns defining a tortuous path for gas flow between the ambient air inlet and the outlet port, and the second inlet communicates with the passageway at a location at or close to the outlet port.
126 Citations
49 Claims
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1. An enrichment device for mixing ambient air with a gas, comprising:
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an outer housing defining a reservoir, the outer housing having first and second end walls and a peripheral wall, the housing having an outlet port for attachment to a cyclic low pressure source, an ambient air inlet, and a second inlet for connection to a supply of pressurized gas; the reservoir having a plurality of internal walls defining a passageway between the ambient air inlet and the outlet port, the passageway having a plurality of turns and defining a flow path for air and gas through the reservoir; and the second inlet communicating with the passageway downstream of the ambient air inlet; whereby air is drawn into the passageway and a mixture of gas and air is drawn out of the reservoir through the outlet port when the low pressure source is on, and pressurized gas fills at least part of the passageway when the low pressure source is off, and variation of the flow rate of gas from the pressurized source into the housing varies the ratio of gas to ambient air in the mixture drawn out of the reservoir through the outlet port. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. An enrichment device for mixing ambient air with a gas, comprising:
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an outer housing of rigid material defining a reservoir, the outer housing having first and second end walls and a peripheral wall, the housing having an outlet port for attachment to a cyclic low pressure source, an ambient air inlet located at or adjacent the first end wall and spaced from the outlet port, and a second inlet for connection to a supply of pressurized gas; the reservoir having a passageway defining a path for gas flow between the ambient air inlet and the outlet port; and the second inlet communicating with the passageway downstream of the ambient air inlet; the housing containing no parts which move during operation of the device; whereby air is drawn into the passageway and a mixture of gas and air is drawn out of the reservoir through the outlet port when the low pressure source is on and pressurized gas fills at least part of the passageway when the low pressure source is off, and variation of the flow rate of gas from the pressurized source into the housing varies the ratio of gas to ambient air in the mixture drawn out of the reservoir through the outlet port. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37)
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38. A ventilator system, comprising:
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a ventilator having a gas inlet, an outlet for connection to a patient breathing gas delivery tube, and a cyclic low pressure pump which is actuated when a patient takes a breath; an oxygen enrichment device having a reservoir, an outlet port connected to the ventilator gas inlet, at least one ambient air inlet, and an oxygen inlet, a plurality of internal walls in the reservoir defining a tortuous, winding passageway from the ambient air inlet to the outlet port which has a plurality of bends, and the oxygen inlet communicating with the passageway and outlet port; and a pressurized oxygen supply connected to the oxygen inlet of the enrichment device, the oxygen supply having an adjustable flow rate; whereby adjustment of the flow rate of oxygen to the oxygen enrichment device varies the ratio of oxygen and ambient air in the gas mixture supplied from the enrichment device to the ventilator when the pump is actuated. - View Dependent Claims (39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48)
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49. A method of mixing ambient air with gas from a pressurized gas source for supply to a ventilator gas inlet port, comprising:
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periodically actuating a cyclic low pressure source connected to an outlet port at one end of a rigid housing to draw ambient air into the housing through an air inlet port at or adjacent an opposite end of the housing and along at least part of a passageway in the housing between a first end at the air inlet and a second end at the outlet port; supplying pressurized gas to the second end of the passageway; whereby ambient air travels along the passageway from the first end when the low pressure source is actuated and pressurized gas travels along the passageway from the second end when the low pressure source is off, and a mixture of pressurized gas and air is drawn out of the outlet port when the low pressure source is actuated, the ratio of pressurized gas to air depending on the amount of pressurized gas in the passageway when the low pressure source is switched from off to on; and adjusting the flow rate of pressurized gas into the second end of the passageway to vary the ratio of gas to ambient air in the mixture drawn out of the outlet port.
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Specification